Herriman Fire

On Sunday September 19th a huge fire was started at Camp Williams during machine gun practice. It went up one side of the mountain and came down the other into Herriman (the city one block away from us). We had no idea there was a fire until Auntie M called us and asked if we could see the flames from our house. We could, and they were huge. By about ten o'clock p.m. the smell was unbearable and the smoke was thick so we went to stay with my parents. During the course of the fire over 1000 homes were evacuated and three homes were destroyed. Our house was never in any danger, but it was still scary having a fire just five miles from our home.

This picture was taken at the end of our street

Gluten Free Baking

Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread

Dustin was diagnosed with Celiac a little over a year ago. Celiac disease is a permanent intolerance to gluten that results in damage to the intestine and is reversible with avoidance of gluten. Gluten is a mixture of different proteins that give all of the foods you love that doughy, elastic texture. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Subsequently, wheat, barley and rye is found in an annoyingly large amount of foods at your local grocer. It would take forever to name all the foods that contain gluten, but if it is processed at all, chances are it has gluten. When Dustin was first diagnosed with Celiac I asked the doctor what foods he couldn't eat. He gave me the short run down of a "dude's" favorite foods. Bread, pizza, cereal, and beer.

I have avoided Gluten Free (GF) baking for two reasons. One, I was pregnant for the better part of a year and would throw up if I went near the kitchen and two, GF baking is rather expensive. You, my non Celiac reader can just throw all purpose flour into a bowl with a few other ingredients and make a wonderfully moist, springy, and delicious cake. If I did that with GF baking I would create something that resembles a hockey puck. GF baking requires several different varieties of flour: brown rice, white rice, sorghum, tapioca, and baking mix. Each flour gives the recipe a different texture and flavor. To achieve a texture and flavor resembling non GF baking, you mix flours together. Last night, to Dustin's delight, I dove into GF baking head on with the help of The Gluten Free Goddess. The result was scrumptious! I made cornbread to go with a tortilla soup. Dustin and I both agree that it is better than regular cornbread. It was soft, moist, sweet, and spicy. I can't wait to try baking a chocolate cake later this week.

It's a Moose! Or is it Meece?

We spent the weekend at the cabin with a few friends from USU. Like old times, we chatted about nothing in particular, played Settlers of Catan, and relaxed. Early Sunday morning as we were getting ready to come home Dustin spotted a moose. Thanks to a great zoom feature on our camera, we were able to get this shot of a mama moose and her baby on the east side of the cabin.

Sooooo Cute!

A wonderful surprise was waiting for me in the mailbox today. Naomi's ten week old photos! All of them turned out fabulously, but here are some of our favorites.

Photos by April Bladh

Goodbye Uncle Rico

Yesterday Elder Richard Clark Fetzer left to serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He will be in the MTC (missionary training center) for three weeks and then depart for Seattle, Washington to seek out and teach people the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am excited for him but can not begin to express how much I will miss him.

Richard and Naomi at his setting apart

Shots! What Shots?

A few weeks ago I took Naomi to get her two month shots. M came with me because I was pretty sure it was going to be hard for me to handle. It was. Being the wonderful sister she is, M stood next to Naomi during the shots to comfort her. I sat nearby and all I saw was her head turn really red and then heard her scream like I never had before. She was pretty miserable for a few hours but later that day she did this.....



Oh, how happy I am to be a mother!

All in a Century

Naomi - 6 weeks old/Grandma Great - 100 years old
A Century Apart

Summer Happenings

Between feeding Naomi every two hours, cleaning, exercising, cooking, and other various obligations it is rather hard to sit down and write a post. We have had an incredible summer beginning with the birth of Naomi and ending with Richards entry into the MTC in ten days to begin his service in the Seattle, Washington mission. So in a nutshell, I present our summer:

July 24th-25th
We went up to the Cabin with our friends Erik, Bridgette and their daughter Megan who is eleven days older than Naomi. Both girls happily slept while we went about cleaning the cabin before we left. We are forever grateful to Grandma and Grandpa Haglund for providing such a beautiful place to work, play, and relax.

Naomi and Megan

July 26th-August 2nd
The first every Clark and Jeanne Fetzer family reunion was held in Yachats, Oregon. A small town of about 650 people along the Oregon coast. We stayed in a beautiful little cottage a short walk from the beach. To get to the beautiful cottage there was a four hour drive from Portland in a red Suburban. Naomi had never been in her car seat that long so we stopped a few times along the way. If you have to stop to feed a baby, the Oregon coast is a fantastic place to do just that.

August 11th-14th
After we got home from Oregon we went back to the cabin with Erik, Bridgette and Megan. We picnicked at Smith Moorehouse, shopped at the outlets, grilled some killer stakes, made hair bows for the girls, and enjoyed good company.

August 15th
Naomi's baby blessing was held in our home on Sunday, August 15th. 32 of our closest family and friends came including both of Naomi's great grandmothers. The blessing Dustin gave was wonderful and thoughtful. We are grateful for our sweet Naomi and thank our Father in Heaven for such a wonderful daughter.

The Many Faces Of Naomi

Fourth of July at "The Lot"

Lions and Tigers and Naomi "oh my!"

We went to the cabin to celebrate the Fourth of July sans fireworks. We've had so many visitors come to see Naomi that it was nice to escape the city and just be with our little family.